The One: Alternate Ending
by actuallymaddy
Summary: This is an alternate ending and continuation of The One by Kiera Cass. It takes place at the end of The One and happens as if Maxon and America never fought. - Everything was perfect for America Singer until the rebels showed up. What will she do when they threaten to hurt her people? Her family? Her love? Herself?
1. Chapter 1

**Hello lovelies!**

**SOOO... this is my first fanfic and hopefully it's not to bad. I would LOVE to have your reviews so I can improve :)**

**This takes place at the end of The One but it happens as if Maxon and America never fought about Aspen. It starts at the ceremony where Maxon is proposing to America. I might write sometime about how I think Max and Mer's fight should have gone down but for now this'll just be an alternate ending and continuation of The One. **

**I'll try to update this on a regular basis but NO PROMISES! I'm starting this at the beginning of my school's winter break so I won't know for a month or two how this fanfic will fit into my regular schedule, but I promise I'll let you know when I decide how frequently to update.**

**Sorry if there's any grammar/spelling/plot mistakes. And if you find any major ones please tell me in the reviews! :3**

**Of course all rights go to the lovely Kiera Cass.**

**Enjoy ^w^**

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><p>I gasped as Maxon knelt down before me. He had already told me that he had chosen me, but I still couldn't believe it was really happening. He was <em>proposing.<em>

"America," he said, "I kept trying to write down what I would say to you in this moment, but I couldn't find the words. No words could express the love I feel for you. I could not find one expression that could even begin to cover what I feel, just when I look at you. Let alone when you laugh or speak or smile. So I decided to wait and write my speech as I go. To find the words from my heart and speak them to you as they came. But I kneel before you now and I still cannot say all that I want to. All that I need to. So all I can say is this: I love you, and will you marry me?"

I could barely speak. I had known this was coming but the reality of what was happening struck me. All of the drama that went along with the selection could be over. We could finally be together. Just me and Maxon forever.

"Yes," I said. My whisper was barely audible. "Yes," I said louder this time. "Always yes."

Maxon placed the glittering ring on my finger and stood. He took my head in his hands and whispered, "I love you so, so much," as he pulled me to him and placed his lips on mine. I wrapped my arms around his neck as we kissed and heard the crowd below us erupting into applause. I knew that the entire country was watching this kiss but I couldn't bring myself to care. All I was concerned with was the fact that I was finally engaged to Maxon, the love of my life.

I smile spread across my face when we broke away. "I love you too," I laughed. The words still felt alien on my tongue, but I knew they were true. I loved him. With all my heart.

He placed one more light kiss on my lips before we turned to face the audience. Maxon kept his arm around my waist as we waved to the crowd. There had to have been a hundred people there, and I knew that the event was being broadcasted throughout Illéa.

I scanned the crowd until I found my family. My mom and my brothers and sisters were there all standing up cheering. Kenna had brought James and baby Astra. James had Astra in his arms and Kenna was sitting next to May and Gerad. Mom was clapping with Kota who caught my eye and winked. They all looked so happy.

I continued to scan through the crowd until I saw Maxon's parents. Queen Amberly was standing up and clapping respectfully but I could see in her eyes she was truly thrilled that Maxon had picked me. The king however was another story. He was clapping, but he was still sitting down and did not look enthusiastic about the way today had played out. I knew he still didn't want Maxon to marry me but he would have to deal with it. I was going to marry Maxon, and I made a promise to myself that I would never, ever let the king hurt him again.

Maxon led me off stage where I was assaulted right away by my maids with cries of congratulations and puffs of make up as they hurriedly fixed what had been washed away with tears. When they were satisfied, Maxon and I made our way from backstage to greet our guests. We came to where my family had been standing and May immediately pulled me in for a hug.

"Ames!" She cried into my ear. "You won! You're getting married! Congratulations!"

"Thanks, May, but you're kind of hurting my ear," I said as I gently pulled back. She gave me an apologetic grin and then stepped back to allow my mom to come forward.

She didn't say anything at first but wrapped my in a lingering hug before saying, "he would have been so proud." I knew she was talking about my dad. His hole was one that I definitely felt here today, but I knew he was looking after me from wherever he was just as he's always done. I felt a brief pang of sadness remembering him, but I knew he would have wanted me to celebrate today not mourn him. There would be time for that later. My mother then pulled back to look me in the eye. "And so am I," she said.

Before I could respond I was distracted by a sudden movement throughout most of the guard. They had all moved their arms to retrieve a red strip of fabric from the pocket of their uniforms in almost perfect unison. They raised their fists holding the long, blood-red shreds of cotton into the air just before three gun shots rang out through the hall.

People screamed as the warning shots were fired into the air, and a voice shouted, "Get down! All of you! Now!" Everyone scattered. Some dropped instantly to the ground but others ran to find and exit. I knew we couldn't stay there. I turned around to find Maxon.

"We have to get to the safe room," I said.

"There's no time," he responded. "We have to get down." We slowly lowered ourselves to the ground trying to stay hidden from the rebels. When my family saw Maxon and I go to the floor, they quickly followed suit.

I looked around and saw that Maxon was right. We would have never made it to the safe room. The rebels in the guard uniforms had formed a perimeter around the room and were using the butts of their guns to force anyone who was trying to escape to the ground. We were safer here in the middle of the room where it was harder for the rebels to spot us.

In through the grand double doors walked a plain looking man. He was average height, had gray hair that was starting to lose its thickness on the top, tanned skin as if he had spent many long days working under the sun, and looked to be about 40. He wore a pair of worn out blue jeans and a beat-up t-shirt with a pair of slightly muddy working boots. He was someone you would pass on the street and never give a second glance to. Just a normal seven on his way to work at the local farm. But everyone was paying attention to him now.

He had a small pistol that he pointed to the crowd with. The weapon couldn't do much damage on a large scale, but he had rebels all around the room dressed as guards. The man held the gun out steady as he spoke. "Ladies and Gentlemen, my request is simple. You can either give up your new princess or give up your lives one by one."

For a minute I was frozen, pressed onto the floor like everyone else, but absolutely frozen. Not even breathing. But eventually the gravity of what he was saying began to take effect on me.

Me. He wanted _me._

I knew immediately what I had to do. I was the new princess of Illéa, and I would not let my people die for me. I couldn't.

I was about to stand up when I felt a hand reach over and squeeze my own. I looked over and saw Maxon. He had been behind me when the gun was fired and had dropped down to my right. I could see in his expression that he knew what I was going to do, and would give anything to stop me.

"Maxon…" I whispered. He had to understand. I wouldn't let anyone die for me.

"Don't move. Stay here. The guards will come," he responded.

"Then why haven't they come yet? Why weren't they bursting through the doors as soon as the shots were fired? No one's coming. Not before anyone gets hurt anyway."

"So that means you get to put yourself in the line of fire?"

I didn't respond. By this time the rebel who seemed to be in control of all this had grown impatient.

"All right," he said. "I see you don't want to give her up too easy. Guess I'll have to show you I'm not playing." He started walking around the room as if he was searching for something until he seemed to find what he was looking for. He reached down to the person lying on the ground and pulled a girl to her feet. She was young. Fourteen or fifteen years at the most. May's age. The rebel pinned her hands behind her back with one hand and placed the gun against her temple with the other. All I saw was may lying in front of me, and all I could think was _what if that was her? What if that was my sister?_ Then suddenly I couldn't stand it anymore. No one was coming and I wouldn't let this girl die.

I squeezed Maxon's hand which was still wrapped tight around my own and stood up. I was shaking but I managed to look the rebel in the eye and speak with surprising calmness. "Let her go."

"Ah, Princess" the rebel said, "but of course." He pushed the girl away and she instantly fell to the ground. The man pointed to two guards. "You there. Grab her." I stood calmly as the guards made their way over to restrain me. I knew if I tried to run that the people in the room would suffer the consequences.

"It appears that we're done here," said the man. He began to walk away and the two guards followed dragging me with them. I turned my head for one last glace at the room and saw that Maxon had stood. One of the guards turned his head to see what I was looking at and stopped when he saw who it was.

"Sir," the guard said shortly. The Rebel turned around to see what the holdup was. He squinted his eyes when he saw Maxon.

Before the rebel said anything Maxon spoke, "Don't you dare touch her!" His voice scared me. In it, I could hear the sound of all the hurt, pain, fear, and strangely, all the love he felt. I hadn't wanted to do this to him. I knew it would hurt him for me to stand and be led away, but I couldn't watch those people be murdered when there was something I could do about it.

The rebel laughed. "Oh, Prince Maxon, I'll speak with you later." Before I had time to wonder what he meant by that, the man turned on his heels and continued out the door motioning for the guards to follow behind him.

We marched through the palace halls after all the guards had filed out and barricaded the ball room door. The hallways were eerily empty. Normally at this time of day the palace was bursting with life but not a soul was in site. I couldn't think of where everyone might have gone unless the worst had happened. But I couldn't think about that now. Not with all the uncertainty about where I was going and what they would do with me. I just needed to focus on keeping myself safe.

After we emerged from the magnificent front doors of the palace, the guards led me through the gardens and up to a lot where countless black vans were parked. There seemed to be enough vans to fit all of the rebels inside. One guard came up to me with a blind fold and gag and tied them on. He then tied my hands behind my back using rope and pushed me into one of the vans. They slammed the door and then someone started the engine. I felt a jolt as the van began moving and took me away from the palace.

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><p><strong>So what'd y'all think? Please tell me in a review :) Hopefully I'll be able to update soon because I'm really excited to keep seeing where this thing goes! I have a few ideas but you all will just have to wait and see what I've got up my sleeve! *evil laughter*<strong>

**Anyway have a happy holiday, lovelies, and I'll talk to ya soon ^w^**

**-actuallymaddy XD**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello lovelies :3**

**Thank so much to all of you for the awesome reviews! They mean so so so much!**

**Theoneforever: OMG thank you! I'm glad ch. #1 made you feel the feels!**

**Parisismydream: Thanks so much! You have no idea how amazing that is to hear about my writing style XD**

**And thanks sooooooo much to the three guest reviewers too! All of your reviews were so nice to read!**

**So I'm updating MUCH sooner than I thought I would. I was just in the writing mood ya know? Just don't expect me to update this quickly on a regular basis. I'm leaving in a few of days to go on vacation and then school starts (along with midterms and finals *gags*) as soon as I get back. I hope to get one more chapter in before I leave but no promises. I'm hoping normally I'll be able to update at least once a month if not more frequently than that. **

**I went back and read the last chapter I posted and I'M SO SORRY FOR ALL THE TYPOS THEY WERE SO HORRID (like... there was a typo where I was saying sorry for all the typos) D: I read through this chapter like five times before posting it so... *crosses fingers* and I'm also going back to edit the first chapter after I post this.**

**Please keep reviewing! All the reviews good and bad mean so much to me! They mean that someone has taken time to seriously consider my work and give me feedback to help me improve and that is all I can ask for! (just please don't be mean. There is a difference between being constructive and being mean.)**

**Of course all the rights go to the most wonderful Kiera Cass ^0^**

**Well... I've talked your ears off so... without further ado... I present to you...**

**Chapter two ^w^ **

We drove for what felt like hours. I was blinded by the piece of cloth the rebel had tied around my head, so I had no way to tell how much time had passed. There must have been a divider between me and whoever was driving because I could hear no one talking or even breathing.

Unfortunately the long drive and complete silence gave me plenty of room to think. _What was going on back at the palace? _I wondered. _Had any of the rebels stayed behind? Were they hurting anyone? Had the real guards made it past the barricades? Was my family all right? _My mind was spinning with a million different questions that were unanswered.

Eventually I began to think back to what the leader of the rebels had said when Maxon had stood up. _Oh, Prince Maxon, I'll speak with you later. _What could he have possibly meant by that?

And what could they possibly want with me? I couldn't think of any way that I could be of use to them. I had just been made princess twenty minutes before they attacked; it's not as if I knew any of the palace's secrets. If they had wanted intelligence they should have captured the king or the queen or Maxon or-

_Oh no._

And suddenly I knew why they wanted me. Not because they could get any information out of me, but because they thought they could get information from Maxon in exchange for me. And they probably weren't wrong.

Maxon had done stupid things to protect me before like taking beatings from his father instead of just eliminating me from the selection. I just had to hope that this time he would be smart. I had to hope he would realize that my life was not worth whatever they wanted of him. I wasn't worth telling them about Gregory Illéa's diaries or whatever else Maxon knew. I wasn't worth the safety of our people. He had to realize that.

But then I began to understand that if Maxon did the right thing here, I was going to die.

I was going to _die_. Without having said goodbye to my mom or May or Gerad or Kenna or Maxon or _anyone._ I was going to die without marrying Maxon, without becoming queen, without having children, without watching them grow up, and without growing old with my love. An entire life was being robbed from me. The only reason I stayed in the selection and the only reason I fought so hard for us- that we both fought so hard for us- was for those years to come. Those years filled with inside jokes and picnics and board games and holidays that somehow made all the heartbreak worth it. But now I could never have them.

And I began to cry. I wept for those lost years and lost goodbyes. I sobbed wishing for one more day, one more hour, one more second. Just one chance to say goodbye. And I cried knowing that this chance would never come.

Tears streamed down my face and soaked the blindfold. My hands were tied behind my back so I could not use them to wipe my face. I tried to use my shoulder to clear some of the tears but it hardly helped and I couldn't do anything about the blindfold.

I was suddenly stuck with how pitiful I must look: face red and puffy, with tears flowing down my cheeks. I knew then that I would never allow myself to look this pathetic in front of these monsters. If they wanted to break me they would have to try a lot harder.

I began to take inventory of what I knew, which wasn't much. This had to be the southern rebels. The northerners wouldn't do something like this with the alliance we had formed. So most likely I was being taken to a base somewhere in the lower part of the country. But that piece of information wouldn't help me by itself. I had to find out all that I could about these people. Even if the palace wouldn't give up the information the rebels wanted, I wouldn't go down without a fight. I would find a way back on my own.

Just as I decided this I felt the van pull to a stop. Doors opened and then slammed shut as the driver got out of the vehicle. I heard the back door of the van open and heard someone step into the back with me. I clenched my muscles ready to kick anyone who came near, but before I could I felt a needle pierce my arm. Whatever medicine they had in it was strong. Almost as soon as they injected me with it I felt my eyelids droop heavily. I tried to fight it, to stay awake but the effects of the drug were too strong. I felt someone pick me up and carry me out of the van before I finally succumbed to the drug and fell into a deep sleep.

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><p>I awoke to an intense splash of cold covering my whole body. I sat up quickly and looked around. I was in a cell lying on a thin mattress on the ground. The room was made of gray stone, and there were no windows, only a small metal door. The light in the room was very dim, the only source coming from a single light bulb hanging from the ceiling by a thin cord. I was no longer wearing the dress that I had on when Maxon proposed, but instead I had on a thin gray shapeless dress. I had no memory of changing and shuddered to the thought of any of them touching me while I was asleep.<p>

The gray smock was sopping wet and I realized that it must have been water that woke me. I looked up and saw a woman, probably in her thirties, glaring down at me. She had long dark hair that she wore in a ponytail, plain work clothes, similar to those that the man at the palace had worn, and a large blue bucket in her hands. The woman had a thin but curvy figure and carried and aura of power.

I tried to stand up but a tug at my wrist prevented it. I looked down to see that my hands were chained to the wall. There was enough room for me to move my hands, but to stand I would have had to hunch over.

"Stay where you are," said the woman. She had a strong and commanding voice only adding to the sense of authority she held.

"Wh-who are you?" I stammered, still slightly dazed form the drugs they had given me.

"I'm the leader of the southern rebels. And you and me, we need to talk," she responded.

"You're the leader? But I thought-," but before I could finish she interrupted me.

"That the old man from the palace was our leader? That's only what we wanted you to think. That way you would take us seriously without endangering our entire operation. We don't go sending our leaders into dangerous positions like that. The resistance needs me alive." She turned the bucket she held upside down and sat down. "Now I bet you're wondering why you're here."

"I already know why I'm here," I spat.

"Oh? And why is that?"

"Because you want to use me to get information. You think they'll turn something over for me."

"Well I must say, Ms. Singer, you are more intelligent than you look. However, you weren't completely correct"

I wasn't correct? What else could they want from me? "You would have to be stupid to believe that I know anything or that I would ever give anything away."

"You misunderstand me, Ms. Singer. You were right in saying that we wanted to use you to get something from the palace. You were just wrong about what we want from them."

My mind was spinning. The effects of the drugs still hadn't worn away entirely, and I couldn't concentrate. What else would they want? They had enough supplies to plan and execute massive attacks and enough coordination to have organized themselves and appointed leaders. What did they need besides information?

"Then what do you want?" I asked.

"Are you familiar with the theory of social movements in the field of sociology?"

I shook my head.

"Well, the theory states that there are three steps a social movement must take in order to get to the fourth and final step of institutionalization, that is, seeing the change wanted put into place in society. If all three steps are never completed then the movement will never reach the final goal."

"How does this have anything to do with me?" I interrupted.

"Patience. Now, the southern resistance has completed two of those steps: agitation, or the people recognizing a problem, and bureaucratization, or the movement developing a formal leadership and organization system. We completed these two steps on our own, but we are having a bit of trouble with the last step."

"And what's that?" I asked.

"Legitimation," she responded, "or when people outside of the movement begin to take notice. When they begin to realize that this means something. That is the part we need help with."

"I still don't see-"

"Stop interrupting! God damn it, for a princess you sure can't hold your tongue. Now as I was saying, your despicable king keeps covering everything up. Sure people know about us, but everyone thinks we're just a nuisance, that we're just a couple of rebels. And we need your prince, dear, to let them know that we're not."

"Maxon will never give in to these demands."

"Oh of course he won't," she said, mocking me. "Not unless he knows that his poor dear is suffering during her time with us. If he sees you hurt there isn't anything he wouldn't do to save his America."

"I will never tell him that I'm suffering. I would never hurt him like that."

"I know you won't. Do you really think we haven't thought these things through? We needed you two love each other more than anything. That's why we waited until after he proposed to capture you. Just to make absolutely sure that we had the right girl. And now I can see that we do. And since you love him too much to tell him how you're hurting, we figured that we would just have to show him."

And with that, she walked to the door and opened it. Two men who were waiting outside walked in. The smaller of the two carried a tripod and a video camera and began to set it up on the opposite end of the room, facing me. The other, larger man carried and evil looking knife and had a whip wrapped around his shoulder.

"We're going to record this little session of ours once every day and send it directly to your prince until they give us what we want," she said and pointed to the man with the camera indicating for him to begin recording.

The woman looked into the camera and began speaking. "Hello your majesty, my name is Jade Smith and I am the leader of the southern resistance. I know that one of our commanders told you at the palace that he would be speaking with you, but unfortunately he is quite busy at the moment, so I thought I would take his place instead. Now, before I tell you what we require I thought I would show you what will happen if you don't comply."

When she finished speaking the man turned the camera to face me and Jade kept talking off to the side, "I'm sure you recognize your beautiful fiancé, congratulations by the way, and I am very sure that you wouldn't want her to feel any more pain than is absolutely necessary."

I tried to put on a brave face. I didn't want Maxon to see how truly terrified I was, but I had a good idea of what was coming. With Jade talking about showing Maxon how I was suffering and then the man walking in with a knife and whip, I was fairly certain of what they were about to do.

Jade nodded her head at the man with the weapons.

And then the pain began.

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><p><strong>So what'd ya think? Please tell me in the reviews!<strong>

**And just so ya know I'm not going to have the next chapter get to graphic so no worries!**

**Hopefully I'll talk to ya soon :3 HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL YOU LOVELIES! (I said that in my goodbye last chapter but still.)**

**-actuallymaddy :3**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello Lovelies! XD **

**I'm so sorry that it took so long for me to update! Especially when I said I'd try to get another chapter posted before I left for vacation. My next update will hopefully be sometime this week or this weekend, but I'm not sure because I have finals and midterms coming up. I will try my very hardest though!**

**Thanks sooooooooo much to all of the wonderful reviewers! :3**

**Parisismydream- I know! I felt so bad doing that to Mer! I'm glad you liked the last chapter and I hope you like this one too!**

**Theoneforever- Thanks for reviewing! Now you can finally see what happens next!**

** syc. julie- I'm sorry it took so long to update, but I'm glad you like the story so far!**

**Please excuse any grammar/spelling/plot errors you find, but if you see any major ones please tell me in a review or private message! I need to know so I can fix these things!**

**All rights go to the talented Kiera Cass.**

**PLEASE READ: And one more note before we begin... As you guys will remember this story takes place as if Maxon and America's fight didn't happen the way it did in the book. In my story Max and Mer still had the fight so he knows about Aspen, but they made up before he proposed in the first chapter of my fanfic. You need to know this to understand some stuff that happens toward the end of the story. I may have my version of their fight as my next update to get rid of any confusion later on, but we'll have to see what I feel like writing.**

**So now I present to you...**

**Chapter 3 ^w^**

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><p>The whip came down across my back as I screamed. The pain was unbelievable. Again and Again the man brought the whip down along with the knife and his fists. I seemed to continue on forever. I tried to stay silent; I tried to not show any weakness, but the pain was too much. My voice gave out from my many screams, and tears rolled down my face.<p>

I could feel my mind leaning towards a darker, calmer, safer place, but I resisted the urge to fall into that darkness. Somewhere in the back of my mind I knew that if I gave in to the black that I may never return. But eventually the pain became too much. I don't know how long the torture lasted before I finally gave out and succumbed to the darkness.

I slept. I don't know for how long. All I know is that I awoke to more freezing water splashing my whole body. Before I could register my surroundings the pain began again.

Through my tears I could see the same man with the knife and whip. He had on different clothes from before I fainted, and I realized that I must have been out for at least a day. I looked up and saw the other man with a video camera again. I realized that this must have been the next day's "session" as Jade had put it. I tried, once again, to put on a brave face for Maxon, but any hope of looking strong was quickly washed away by the pain of the knife against my skin.

I stayed awake the entire time that day. Once Jade and her two men left my cell I began to take inventory of my injuries. I couldn't move my arm, and as I lifted my head to look at my feet, I saw that one of my legs was bent at an unnatural angle. I knew that my leg must have been broken, I didn't know what was wrong with my arm, and I didn't care to think about how much blood I had lost. I dropped my head back onto the cot I was lying on and slowly drifted into sleep.

My world continued on like this for days. I lost count of how many. Some days I would wake up to water splashing on my head and some days I had never fallen asleep to begin with. I tried to count how long I had been there but my mind was to foggy to even begin to guess. Sometimes I would hear snippets of what Jade was saying to Maxon on the video camera. Mostly she would remind him of what they demanded but sometimes I would hear other things.

_I think we'll let them go a bit longer this time. Just to encourage you to speed things up._

_I really don't know how much more of this she could take._

_Do you really love her at all? I can't imagine that you do. Otherwise you would have already met our demands._

My mind was already spinning, and I tried not to think about what she was saying, but I couldn't help it. _Was I really that close to death? Was he not responding to their demands? Is that why she was increasing the time of the torture? _I ached to know more. I wanted to know what was happening at the palace. I wanted to know how they were responding to the southerners. But I had no way to find out any of these things.

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><p>One day when I woke up something was different. No, not just something. Everything was different.<p>

I hadn't woken to the water splashing, and the pain hadn't come almost as soon as I woke. As I slowly came into consciousness I realized that I was being carried. And whoever was carrying me was running.

My first instinct was to fight against the person carrying me because they were surely a rebel. I pushed against the person's chest with my good arm and feebly tried to kick my legs. Anything I could do to get them to release me.

But then I heard a familiar voice.

"Shh. Mer, it's ok."

I knew that voice. How did I know that voice?

"You're safe now."

I slowly turned my head upwards and looked into the face of my carrier.

_Aspen. _

Aspen was here. He was _here_. No more pain; no more torture. He was here and that meant I was safe. But wait. Why was he here? I tried to whisper his name.

"Shh! Mer, we need to be quite. I promise I'll explain when we get out of here," Aspen whispered.

I tucked my head into his chest and tried to drown out the pain that jolted through my body every time he took a step. I closed my eyes and began to drift off but before I could his speed increased. I heard shouting from being and heard Aspen curse under his breath. My leg seared with pain as he quickly jolted around to use his back to open a door. And then we were outside.

I took as deep a breath as I could of fresh air. I hadn't been outside in so long. Not since before the attack on the palace. I hadn't realized how stale the air in the cell had been. I could hardly breathe in there compared to out here.

I heard gunshots begin to fire and a van door slide open. I was lifted up as Aspen handed me into whoever was in the van. Immediately I was placed on a cot and an oxygen mask was placed on my face. Everything lurched as the van sped into motion. I could still hear the faint popping of guns as the van drove away.

Faces began to swirl above my head. I could hear people saying things, asking me questions but I couldn't tell what they were saying.

"Aspen…" I whispered, barely able to speak.

"I'm here, America," I heard him say. I felt him grab my hand as his face appeared in my vision. 'I'm here. The palace sent out a team to rescue you. You're safe now. You're coming back home."

"Maxon?" I asked, hoping he would know what I meant, and he did.

"He's at the palace. He wanted to come but it was too high risk. He's waiting there. You can see him as soon as we get there."

"Leger," I heard a voice say, "The prince will explain everything to her when we get back. But for now she needs medical attention. Move back so we have room to work"

Aspen gave my hand a final squeeze and left my side. As soon as he was gone other people appeared, asking me questions. Did this hurt and could I feel that? What about here? There? When was the last time I had water? What about food? I tried to answer the last to questions but I couldn't remember. Did they feed me wherever the rebels were holding me? My mind was so hazy, and I couldn't think straight, and I just couldn't remember.

Someone pricked my arm with a needle and I flinched away but a pair of string hands held me steady. I heard a soothing, yet overly- sweet, feminine voice say, "We're gonna give you something for the pain, okay, sweetie? It'll make you sleepy but you'll feel much better."

_No. _I tried to say. _I don't want to go to sleep. I don't want to go back to that dark, black place. _But I couldn't get the words out. And I doubt they would have done any good if I had been able to speak them.

I began to feel the drugs take effect. First the pain began to fade away, and I could finally relax my body. Then I began to feel tired. So very tired. I tried to fight it. To stay awake just until we got back to the palace. Until I could fall asleep in Maxon's arms, but the medicine was too strong. I slowly drifted into sleep, into the black oblivion I had begun to fear so much.

* * *

><p>It seemed like seconds later when I woke up.<p>

As I slowly drifted back into awareness, I noticed how sore I was. My whole body ached, but my left arm and right leg were especially throbbing. I groaned as I lifted my arm that wasn't as sore to rub my eyes. Someone grabbed my hand as I lowered my arm back down to the bed and opened my eyes. And then I heard a voice speak my name as my eyes adjusted to the light.

"America," it was Maxon. "Are you awake, love?"

_Yes_, I tried to say, but all that came out was a hoarse whimper. I nodded my head instead. My throat was so dry. "Water," I managed to squeak out.

Maxon helped me sit up and then reached to the nightstand beside the bed I was laying on to pick up a glass already filled with water. He held the glass to my lips as I drank, never letting go of my hand.

I looked around the room as I drank. We were in a large room that was impeccably furnished. There were high ceilings with an elaborate trim made of dark wood. The walls were painted the lightest shade of purple, and the bed I was laying on had a matching comforter with an elegant pattern on it. I recognized that we were somewhere in the palace, but I didn't know which room.

By the time I had finished the glass, I could finally speak. "Wh- where are we?" I asked.

"We're in the princess's chambers," he answered.

That explained why I didn't recognize the room. I had already been in here once before, but the staff at the palace must have redecorated in time for the new princess to move in, once they had found out that Maxon would soon be making his choice of bride.

Suddenly I remembered something. "Maxon, you didn't give them what they wanted, did you?" I asked. I couldn't bear the thought of those traitors getting what they wanted, even if it did mean my safety.

"No," Maxon said, "We sent in a small group of our best soldiers to rescue you. I believe Aspen was one of them. He said he talked to you."

"He carried me out of their hideout." I said.

"That was his job. With such a small team, each person had a specific job. Aspen's was to get to you and get out."

"Did anyone get hurt?"

"Not badly," he said. "Surprisingly, the operation went very smoothly. We don't think that the rebels thought we would be coming. The signal from the videos they sent us was very hard to trace. But luckily we found the source of where they were coming from."

"So, you saw the videos? The ones of me?" I asked. I dreaded his answer. I knew what it would be, but I didn't want him to have seen those. To have seen them terrorize and torture me like that.

"Yes," his voice was strained, as if the words were hard to get out. "I saw them. And America, I'm so sorry. So, so sorry. I can't believe you had to suffer like that. I could hardly stand to watch them, but as hard as they were for me to watch they must have been a million times harder to live through. I couldn't protect you from that and I-"

"Stop," I interrupted. "It's not your fault. I'm here. I'm safe now."

"And I'm so glad for that," he said as he lifted my hand to his lips. "I love you," he said against my hand before he places a kiss on my hand. "I love you."

"I love you too. You know I do."

"You should get some rest. You need sleep to recover."

"I don't want to go back to sleep," I said more quickly and more panicked than I'd meant to. Instantly he knew that it wasn't just because I wasn't tired that I didn't want to sleep."

"Darling," he spoke softly. "You need to sleep. It'll be okay. I promise."

"Stay with me," I whispered. "Please."

"Of course," he said as he walked around the bed before lying down on the other side. Being careful of my arm and leg, which were both in casts, he gently pulled me to him. I turned to lie on my side and laid my head on his chest as he wrapped his arms around me.

Suddenly and unexpectedly a wave of tears crashed over me. I tried to hold them back for as long as I could, but eventually I broke with one loud sob. Then the tears came continuously. I turned my head into Maxon's shoulder to block out the world. He didn't say anything as I cried but just stroked my hair. I cried until I had no tears left, but my shoulders continued to shake with dry sobs. Eventually I became sleepy and my eye lids drooped until they threatened to close. Maxon could tell I was still trying to avoid the sleep that was coming for me.

"Sleep," he whispered. "I'll be right here."

And with that I finally let my eyelids close, and I fell asleep wrapped in Maxon's arms.

* * *

><p><strong>So what'd ya think? Please tell me in the reviews! I LOVE BEING ABLE TO READ ALL OF YOUR REVIEWS! XD XD XD<strong>

**I hope you lovelies had a marvelous new year and I'll talk to you guys soon! ^0^ **

**-actuallymaddy**


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